The disclosure relates generally to distributed communication systems (DCSs), such as distributed antenna systems (DASs) as an example, and more particularly to remote unit assemblies and related accessing methods for such systems.
Distributed antenna systems or distributed communication systems provide wireless communications and other services within a building, stadium, and other infrastructures. Such systems permit wireless customers to use wireless communication services for demanding digital data applications (e.g., streaming video signals) in areas that are poorly serviced by conventional cellular networks, such as inside certain buildings or other areas where cellular coverage is poor. One approach to deploying a DAS involves the use of radio frequency (RF) antenna coverage areas, also referred to as “antenna coverage areas.” The antenna coverage areas are provided by remote antenna units (RAUs), or more generally “remote units.” Remote units provide antenna coverage areas typically having radii from a few meters up to twenty (20) meters. If the antenna coverage areas each cover a small area, there are typically only a few users (clients) per antenna coverage area. This minimizes the amount of RF bandwidth shared among the wireless system users.
FIG. 1 illustrates distribution of communications services to remote coverage areas 100(1)-100(N) of a DAS 102, wherein ‘N’ is the number of remote coverage areas. These communications services can include cellular services, wireless services, such as RF identification (RFID) tracking, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), local area network (LAN), and wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless solutions (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Global Positioning System [GPS] signal-based, and others) for location-based services, and combinations thereof, as examples. The remote coverage areas 100(1)-100(N) are created by and centered on RAUs 104(1)-104(N) connected to a centralized equipment 106 (e.g., a head-end controller, a head-end unit, or a central unit). The centralized equipment 106 may be communicatively coupled to a source transceiver 108, such as for example, a base transceiver station (BTS) or a baseband unit (BBU). In this regard, the centralized equipment 106 receives downlink communications signals 110D from the source transceiver 108 to be distributed to the RAUs 104(1)-104(N). The downlink communications signals 110D can include data communications signals and/or communication signaling signals, as examples. The RAUs 104(1)-104(N) are configured to receive the downlink communications signals 110D from the centralized equipment 106 over a communications medium 112 to be distributed to the respective remote coverage areas 100(1)-100(N) of the RAUs 104(1)-104(N). In a non-limiting example, the communications medium 112 may be a wired communications medium, a wireless communications medium, or an optical fiber-based communications medium. Each of the RAUs 104(1)-104(N) may include an RF transmitter/receiver (not shown) and a respective antenna 114(1)-114(N) operably connected to the RF transmitter/receiver to wirelessly distribute the communications services to user equipment (UE) 116 within the respective remote coverage areas 100(1)-100(N). The RAUs 104(1)-104(N) are also configured to receive uplink communications signals 110U from the UEs 116 in the respective remote coverage areas 100(1)-100(N) to be distributed to the source transceiver 108.
Remote units are commonly mounted in a ceiling in such a way that radio frequency signals from the remote unit's antenna are not obstructed by the ceiling. If active remote antenna units are part of the DAS, the DAS designer should also ensure that the mounting structure allows for sufficient dissipation of the heat generated by remote unit's electronics. It is also desirable that the remote unit mounting structure, as well as the remote unit itself, be as unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
In some wireless systems, such as DASs, remote units are mounted in multiple locations around a building, including ceiling mounts. Secure mounting in a ceiling should be provided due to the weight of a typical remote unit, to guard against the possibility of a remote unit falling from the ceiling. Ensuring physical safety of service personnel and users proximate to a remote unit is desirable. One approach to secure a remote unit is to mount the remote unit to a rigid, structural support with a support cable. It may be challenging, however, to access internal modules of a remote unit during servicing, and such challenges may be compounded when support cables are engaged. It may also be challenging to access entire surfaces or sides of electronic components of remote units to permit servicing operations without dismounting and re-mounting such electronic components. It may also be cumbersome to mount a remote unit in a drop ceiling, particularly after a drop ceiling grid has been installed and if a remote unit has length and width dimensions that exceed a conventional drop ceiling grid opening.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence of any cited documents.